I agree with Stellablu22 on this being best show of run. To quote him "This is my favorite show of the run and granted that will debated, but who cares if you were at these shows you saw it ALL these three nights...lightning in a bottle freaks.

The band delivers an off the track first set with a powerful and driven Shakedown where Jerry is turned up loud and attacks every solo.

The band hits the groove running". Stays that way from there. A tight, well played show. This is probably the best sounding aud for this date. The akg451 pull is pretty good. But, I like the warmth of this recording a bit more.

This whole run is pure Jerry, yet I prefer the night before, 12-13-1990, since it was my first Dead show!

I hitched a ride from Gunnison on a semi-truck with a girl from college. Arriving late, in from the freezer upon the joyous crowd, the wheel was already spinning. It was a hot show, carrying the fine late 80's momentum. It took but a few moments into Help on the Way for Jerry to blow my mind. I remember him and Bruce doing dynamic back and forth licks, playing off each other, a very conversational quality.

Midway through Eyes I was stunned, watching every mind on the floor flow with Jerry's undulating phrases, spinning on every note. Every molecule was in sync that night. Lightning in a bottle. The spinners were out in full force at those shows. Women in long flowing dresses filling the halls. What a sight to behold.

This run was the final coda of the force and energy that existed for four months after Bruce joined the band back in September, and in many ways this raw intensity would not ever appear again like it did this year.

Yes there are better shows but the raw Jerry.. maybe a few that even come close.

This is my favorite show of the run and granted that will debated, but who cares if you were at these shows you saw it ALL these three nights...lightning in a bottle freaks.

The band delivers an off the track first set with a powerful and driven Shakedown where Jerry is turned up loud and attacks every solo.

The band hits the groove running.

Picasso Moon continues that over the top madness with a colossal train wreck of an ending...it's epic.

Jerry and the Band quickly earned our forgiveness with a poetic and beautiful Peggi- O.

The other thing to note is Vince, I am sure inspired by Bruce, uses electric piano for the majority of the show which was light years much better than the sounds he was using when he first joined the band.

Things get nasty with raw Rooster but the X-factor is not a fluke tonight but a mission. Jerry has some fun with Stagger Lee and and Bobby tosses up an epic Masterpiece.

Jerry spins a majestic and the rarely played To Lay Me Down, which features a cool vocal ending that was clearly a foreshadowing of how he would sing many of the great and soon to be written ballads in the latter years.

Let it Grow is the band at the peak of their powers this run and bubbles with intensity and passion.

They are simply explosive and Bobby completely shines with only one minor vocal flub.

Set break kids and yes you deserve to sit down.

Now on paper you might be like this first half of the second is set is meh... how many times have I seen this?

All I will say is once again the devil is in the details and more importantly how it was played.

They attack Victim and it is a powerful version, Phil is in the house kids and he drives this one with equal fervor with his best pal Jerry.

Foolish is not the best, Jerry plays it at a quicker tempo... another Bruce influence, but he elevates it to greatness and the peak is blistering and will make your jaw drop.

Women are Smarter if off the rail and actually Jerry gets so loud and into his Midi solo that the audience roars in joyous approval at the peak... a clear nod to the passing of Brent who always played with fire on this tune.

Jerry acknowledge this fact with the only tune that the family can grieve to...He's Gone. It is majestic and heart wrenching and the post jam is hot as they could have dropped into New Speedway if they had chosen.

Post space is a tour de force that has Jerry on every solo bursting with intensity I mean they even jam out of Miracle :)))

They finish off Dark Star which is very cool and from the first night...talk about a steal your face moment.

Vince does sadly abandon the electric piano sound but his playing is still very strong.

Wharf Rat is another acknowledgment of the tragic loss of Brent and is very rare after Mircale and Jerry is searing on it. The band is simply right there as well.

Love Light is off the rails and high energy fun and perfect ending to the run.

Heaven's Door is the only real choice and Jerry delivers wonderfully as he performs a stellar and haunting rendition.

My only criticism is that this is the best source, and not as crisp as I had would prefer, and the two SBDs are complete crap of this show.

There is wonderful SBD of the previous night that I believe has enormously helped elevate that show to legendary status.

Hopefully the same can occur for this gem.

Four for sound quality and a resounding 5 for the performance!